Randeep Singh Surjewala, responding to Sibal’s comment, said, “Sh. Rahul Gandhi hasn’t said a word of this nature nor alluded to it.”
New Delhi| Who will be the next president of Congress? This question has once again cropped up in front of the party after exact one year, as interim president Sonia Gandhi may ask to choose the new party chief in the meeting of Congress Working Committee (CWC) at 11 am today. This meeting will take place through video conferencing. According to media reports, Sonia Gandhi has asked party leaders to find a new president. She has held the post for 20 years at different times. On Sunday there were reports that Sonia Gandhi had tendered her resignation after the letter by senior leaders calling for sweeping reforms was leaked to the media. However, the Congress has denied reports of Sonia’s resignation.
On the other hand, Rahul Gandhi has already refused to take the responsibility of the party president. He resigned from the post after the party’s defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Sonia then held the post of interim president for a year in August. On August 10 this year, her term was over. In the last CWC meeting, she was asked to take over the reins of the party. Then Sonia said that she was not interested in leading the party.
What are the options in front of the party?
1. Sonia Gandhi remains the interim president of the party. Timely announcement of election process for the Speaker should be made.
2. The non-Gandhi senior leader should be made president until Rahul becomes the party chief through elections. The names of former PM Manmohan Singh, Mallikarjun Kharge and Mukul Wasnik are being considered.
3. Convince Rahul to become president. Anyway, the CWC has not accepted his resignation technically. Rahul can also be empowered to make extensive changes in the organization.
4. A proposal for Rahul’s name may come up before the Speaker. It is believed that party general secretary KC Venugopal can put forward Rahul’s name for the president. If the working committee decides, then the issue may end.
Why demand for changes in Congress?
1. The party’s base is shrinking:
Sonia Gandhi was the president in the 2014 elections. In this election, the Congress could get only the lowest 44 seats in its history. Rahul Gandhi was the president during the 2019 elections. The party could win only 52 seats.
2. Cadre weakened:
Congress cadre has weakened in the country. By 2010, the number of members of the party was four crore, now it has reduced to less than one crore. In other states including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Manipur, deserting leaders in the Congress has had an impact on party workers.
3. Congress government in 6 states:
Congress government survived in Chhattisgarh, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. Kamal Nath’s government fell in Madhya Pradesh after Jyotiraditya Scindia’s rebellion.
Different opinions in the party regarding the post of president
In favor of Rahul: Salman Khurshid said on Sunday, “Everyone’s consent should be seen instead of internal elections. Rahul has full support of the workers.” Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh also said that at the moment only the Gandhi family should take over the reins of the party. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also expressed confidence in Rahul Gandhi. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that Rahul should come forward and lead the party.
In favor of a change in the party: 23 leaders including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tiwari and Shashi Tharoor wrote to Sonia Gandhi and stressed on a major change in the party. They said – Leadership should be full time and effective, who should be active in the field. Its effect should also be seen. Elections of Congress Working Committee should be conducted. Institutional leadership mechanisms should be formed immediately so that guidance could be provided to rejuvenate the party. However, they did not mention whether the Congress President should be from a non-Gandhi family.
Live News Updates:
12.20 PM| According to PTI sources, former Prime Miniter Manmohan Singh and AK Antony criticised the letter by the dissidents. Sonia Gandhi referred to the letter by Ghulam Nabi Azad, among others, while offering to quit as party chief. The Congress chief also called for the start of the process to select the new party president.
12.25 PM| PTI sources have said that Sonia Gandhi handed over a letter to Congress leader KC Venugopal, in response to the note sent by the dissidents. The sources also said that the contents of the letter were read out during the meeting.
12.30 PM| Rahul Gandhi questions the timing of the letter written by 23 senior leaders. He said the letter was written at a time when the party was battling a crisis in Rajasthan and party interim chief Sonia Gandhi was unwell.
1.00 PM| According to sources, Ghulam Nabi Azad, one of the leaders amongst those who had written the letter, defended the move and said he would resign if it was established that he had colluded with the BJP, as alleged by Rahul Gandhi. Rahul had earlier said that the letter attacked Congress when it was it’s “weakest”.
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